Letters | Health care, abortion

Aug. 24, 2013

GOP and Obamacare

Brad Cummings does a good job of pointing out the fundamental problem in the current health care debate. The Republicans do not have a single comprehensive alternative plan, never have, and never will.

Those of us who support the idea that U.S. citizens should have universal access to health care as a fundamental right in a democracy consider those who do not as hopelessly out of touch with the broader economic issues related to health care. Cummings cites a few pitiful suggestions that Republicans have continually put forward — tort reform, selling insurance across state lines, and possible specialized pools for the really sick (where they would no doubt pay much more).

Issues Republicans ignore: Women paying more than men for the same coverage, women being denied basic coverage for birth control while men enjoy coverage for erectile dysfunction, consumers being denied health care coverage because of pre-existing illnesses, a health care system tied to employment, run-away premiums, and insurance companies with no regulations regarding the amount actually spent on health care.

The frantic behavior of Republicans, including special PACS running deceptive ads, is the product of fear. Once the ACA is operational, like Medicare, their constituencies will immediately recognize the value of having affordable health care. The continual lies that have characterized this debate will be clear. They have a lot to lose.

SUSAN RYAN

Floyds Knobs, Ind. 47119

Reducing abortions

I am writing in response to the Aug. 2 letter regarding support for women. The author asked what is being done to prevent abortion.

I suggest that if all children are guaranteed a safe home, all men and women have access to safe birth control, and women are no longer raped, there will be fewer abortions. So I would like to pose some counter questions:

What are the author and the “right to life” organizations doing to see that children are not placed at risk of abuse or neglect? What are they doing to ensure children born with disabilities are given resources they need to lead a full life?

What are they doing to see that the 1,798 children in state care who are eligible for adoption find safe and loving homes? What are they doing to see that the nearly 7,000 Kentucky children removed from their homes are reunited with their families or placed in safe, loving homes?

What are they doing to increase access to family planning? What are they doing to stop the nearly 1,300 forcible rapes reported in Kentucky each year?

I hope and pray that the author and right to life organizations will see that the most effective way to reduce the number of abortions is to provide love, support and protection to the men, women and children who by the grace of God have been born into this world.